


Right You Are, Mr. Barrow

by moxibeth



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Boys Kissing, Comfort, Coming Out, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22169848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moxibeth/pseuds/moxibeth
Summary: ♥ a different (and short) take on the scene when jimmy goes into thomas’ room to check on him after he’s been beaten.♥ one-shot
Relationships: Thomas Barrow & Jimmy Kent, Thomas Barrow/Jimmy Kent
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	Right You Are, Mr. Barrow

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first downton fic (and my first fic in a few years) so advice is appreciated!  
\- charlie x

"You were brave Mr. Barrow," Jimmy said, avoiding eye contact with the man who saved him. Thomas looked up at him, almost shocked by his words.

"Very brave." Jimmy took a breath and paused. He looked up to see Thomas' face, battered and beaten, blood drying. Jimmy's heart sunk. This was the same person he thought he hated not very long ago, who he had treated so poorly, yet still Thomas threw himself into danger for him.

"I feel badly. I shouldn't have run off." Jimmy said quickly, but he meant it. Thomas smiled a bit, and adjusted his seating position in his bed.

"Oh, you should have. Otherwise what was I bloody doin' it for?" Thomas said with a small laugh. Jimmy didn't laugh. He stood there, seemingly frozen and staring at the floor. Thomas sighed. 

"Jimmy, you should leav-" 

"No." Jimmy cut him off quickly. He wouldn't let Thomas push him away now. He couldn't think of what to say, but just couldn't possibly leave now. Thomas gently folded his newspaper and set it on his lap, letting out a small sigh.

"Jimmy, I'm not asking for anything from you. I know you can't give me what I would want, I really do." Thomas said, in a soft voice that sounded content, but so deeply heartbroken at the same time. Jimmy stared at the floor, before looking up at Thomas' face. He looked at the bloody marks, and as much as he hated it, it tore him up inside. He wanted to just come in quickly to make sure there wasn't too much damage done, not have these strange emotions keep coming back.

"Mr. Barrow," Jimmy began to say before immediately correcting himself to be less formal.

"T-Thomas... I..."  
The words wouldn't come to his lips. Jimmy felt himself getting choked up, but he promised himself he would hold it together. He rehearsed it in his head a million times. Thomas would say "I'd like it if we could be friends", and Jimmy would reply "Right you are, Mr. Barrow", and that would be the end of it. They would be friends, with no stupid complicated feelings. This wasn't working in the moment though, because Jimmy realized a tear had rolled down his cheek and hit the rug. 

"Shh, calm down, don't work yourself up." Thomas murmured, moving to sit upright and leaving room on the end of the bed for Jimmy to sit. Jimmy pulled over a chair instead to the side of the bed, and put his head in his hands upon sitting down. He couldn't believe he was crying in front of someone, especially not alone with Thomas Barrow. 

"What's the matter? You can talk to me y'know." Thomas said softly, and turned towards Jimmy, who was sobbing at this point. Jimmy looked up to look Thomas in the eyes, and Thomas felt like he nearly exploded, both from sadness and from relief.

"What's the matter? What's the matter?!" Jimmy said, his tone becoming more bitter. Thomas furrowed his brow, but realized it wasn't uncalled for that Jimmy was hurt and upset.

"Well, Thomas, I'll tell you what the hell is the matter! I look at you and I feel pain, Thomas. I had thought, for a long time that it was disgust and fear. Disgust and fear of what you'd done to me. I couldn't look at you, a-and it's bloody hard to look at you now! Y-You've changed me, and oh how I really wish you hadn't, b-because I'm terrified, Thomas!" Jimmy stammered, eyes filled with tears, and voice filled with anger and sadness. Thomas felt a heaviness tugging on his heart.

"I... I don't understa-" Thomas began.  
"Of course you wouldn't!" Jimmy yelled at him, with so much anger that Thomas was left petrified. They both sat there in silence, Jimmy taking heavy breaths, and Thomas staring at the wall next to him. Jimmy leaned back in his chair, relaxing slightly.

"Jimmy..." Thomas said with such softness that Jimmy could hardly hear him. Jimmy sniffled and wiped away tears from his eyes, not responding, and staring blankly towards the floor.

"Jimmy." Thomas repeated, taking a deep breath. Jimmy stood up from his chair, making his way towards the door.

"Jimmy, please." Thomas said once more, before shakily standing up out of bed. Jimmy turned around, avoiding eye contact with him. Thomas took a few steps towards him, but stopped himself from getting too close. Jimmy drew a shaky breath.

"Thomas, I feel things for you I would die before acting upon." he said calmly, before immediately regretting it.

He slowly looked up to meet Thomas' gaze, but Thomas' gaze was empty. He was looking at Jimmy, but looking straight through him. 

"Thomas, say something please. I feel badly, I'm sorry." he said softly. Jimmy stepped towards him, trying to remove some of the harshness and tension that filled the air. A foot closer, and their noses would touch.

"You're terrified? Of me?" Thomas asked at practically a whisper. Jimmy shook his head, looking at the floor.

"I'm terrified that I'd fall in love with you, Mr. Barrow." he replied softly.

They stood in silence for a moment, neither of them looking at the other. After a few breaths, Thomas looked at Jimmy. He gently touched his cheek, and Jimmy flinched before glancing up at Thomas. The tension seemed to linger, but this tension was different. The anger was slowly dissolving, but something in the air still hovered. 

"You still have tears on your face." Thomas said, calmly and quietly, as he wiped the wetness away from Jimmy's cheek. Jimmy stepped closer to him, looking into Thomas' eyes, and forgetting whatever the world was like outside that door. It all disappeared in this moment.

"Please kiss me." Jimmy murmured. 

"Never wanted anything more." Thomas replied as he slowly leaned into him. Jimmy's heart was on fire, and he realized he as well had never wanted anything more. The feeling of Thomas' lips grazing softly against his own was electric. He could feel Thomas' breath, he could feel _him_. Jimmy couldn't take the teasing though, so he gently put a hand to Thomas' scabbed cheek, and pressed their lips together. __

_ _ Thomas couldn't believe this was real. Before putting his other hand on the side of Jimmy's neck, he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He wasn't. Jimmy's heart was beating faster than it ever had. It had never been like this with a girl, never. Their lips crashed together, and while it slightly stung Thomas' busted lip, he couldn't care less. Thomas worked his hands into Jimmy's hair and caressed his neck, while Jimmy ran his hands over Thomas' thin sleep shirt, feeling his shoulders and chest. Jimmy felt so free, right in this moment. So, so free. Nothing mattered. They were the only two that mattered._ _

_ _ Losing breath, Jimmy pulled away, and rested his head on Thomas' shoulder, as Thomas wrapped his arms around his waist. They stood there, embraced, feeling each other's heartbeats, before Thomas whispered,_ _

_ _

_ _ "Now make yourself useful for something, read the paper."_ _


End file.
